LEARNING GOES HIGH-TECH AT ANNUAL MEETING

Albert Samuelson, M.D., of Bismark, Mo., records his answer to a question during a “Focus Live” presentation titled “Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders,” moderated by John Lauriello, M.D., at APA's 2004 annual meeting in New York City last month.,

The innovative educational format allowed participants to test their knowledge on a range of subjects critical to practicing psychiatry in 2004. Guest editors of APA's continuing education journal, Focus: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry, posed multiple-choice questions that audience members could then answer using an interactive audience response system. Audience responses appeared as a histogram on the screen instantly, allowing private comparison with the responses of other clinicians in the audience.

In addition to the “Focus Live” session on schizophrenia, two other sessions were presented. “Forensic and Ethical Issues in Psychiatry” was moderated by Laura W. Roberts, M.D., of the department of psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin. “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Anxiety Disorders: Test Your Knowledge” was moderated by Jonathan R.T. Davidson, M.D., of the department of psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine.

“Our second annual `Focus Live' was a big success, thanks both to our excellent presenters and to the entertaining format of multiple-choice questions and audience response system,” said Deborah Hales, M.D., director of APA's Division of Education and Career Development.“ Participants were also very pleased to receive a free copy of the Focus journal related to the subject area of the `Focus Live' session they attended.”